The messages went to Internet users who opted in for more information from UNICEF through the Unicef.org Web site. Nearly 27 percent of the e-mails had been opened by the release of the report, and 41 percent of those who opened the e-mails clicked through to the UNICEF site. Eight percent of those who opened the e-mail forwarded it to at least one other inbox, said Edmund Leung, chief technology officer at inChorus.com, Santa Clara, CA, which created and delivered the e-mails for UNICEF.

inChorus provided UNICEF with the 30-second e-mail message and most of the e-mail addresses at no cost, said William Hetzer, head of Internet, broadcasting and image at UNICEF.

"We put together a list of a few hundred e-mail addresses. The bulk came from inChorus. It's the first time we've done something like this," Hetzer said.

"It's very gratifying to see our technology used to enhance this kind of education and to support the cause of UNICEF," William Yuan, CEO of inChorus.com, said in a statement. "Most people agree that the work done by UNICEF is of paramount importance to the betterment of the world. E-mail has become a standard method of communication, and rich media is able to bring the UNICEF message directly to people in a very compelling way."

Hetzer said he was grateful to inChorus for its help in promoting the publication to a large audience on the Web. "This will result in added awareness of the serious challenges facing children today," he said.

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